We have loved them, and we have loathed them: Heroes + Villains brings together over 100 of the world’s most recognisable figures in a collection of photographs and personal recollections by David Steen, introduced by Sir Roger Moore.
From The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Brian Epstein to Robert Redford, Steven Spielberg, Sean Connery and Oliver Reed, these cultural icons were photographed with Steen’s perceptive eye and irrepressible sense of humour. His subjects crossed the worlds of music, film, literature, sport and politics – and the sometimes uncertain boundary between hero and villain.
First published in 2005, Heroes + Villains was one of the last books overseen by Genesis founder Brian Roylance before his death later that year. Captivated by the range and quality of Steen’s photographs, Brian recognised the makings of an extraordinary book and exhibition within minutes of seeing them.
More than twenty years later, Genesis is revisiting this distinctive publication with 100 Archive Copies from the original signed limited edition. Comprising 50 Deluxe copies co-signed by Sir Roger Moore and 50 Collector copies, these are the final copies that Genesis will offer for sale, each accompanied by a Rod Stewart portrait print and material preserved from the book’s launch.
“If, as the old saying goes, ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ then I am incapable of counting how many words this brilliant collection of pictures contains.” – Sir Roger Moore
“This isn't a pantheon of heroes, but it is a celebration of manly beauty… Steen is palpably too perceptive and level-headed for hero-worship. But there are 100 fine photographs, intensely redolent of the period that produced them, and still looking good." – The Spectator
Heroes + Villains gathers 103 photographs spanning fifty years of David Steen’s work. Taken on concert stages, film sets, in private homes and on assignments around the world, his portraits reveal the personalities behind the public faces.
The collection brings musicians including Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend together with actors, writers, politicians and sportsmen. Charlie Chaplin, Peter Sellers, Rudolf Nureyev, Somerset Maugham, Harold Macmillan and Graham Hill are among its varied cast. Steen’s assignments also took him to Rio, where he photographed Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs.
His encounters often extended far beyond a photographic session. He lived with Rod Stewart in Los Angeles, fished with Charlie Chaplin in Ireland and played ukulele in duet with Peter Sellers. His photographs and recollections reveal the familiarity, humour and shared experiences behind many of these portraits.
Arriving at Michael Caine’s home, Steen spotted a man with a wheelbarrow and a garden fork—then realised it was Caine himself. On the set of Clockwise, he persuaded John Cleese to pose on a haystack, creating a portrait shaped by the actor’s humour. Whether spontaneous or carefully arranged, the pictures reflect Steen’s exceptional instinct for a revealing moment.
Introduced by Sir Roger Moore, Heroes + Villains pairs Steen’s photographs with personal anecdotes and concise biographies.
His candid, conversational recollections take readers into a tense snooker competition with Sean Connery and to Malta, where an initially reluctant Richard Harris finally agreed to be photographed just hours before Steen’s departure.
Together, the pictures and stories explore the personalities behind the reputations. Reflecting on his choice of title, Steen wrote:
“The hero is the man admired for outstanding achievements. The villain is the one capable of great wickedness, but there again he could be just a loveable rogue… and I love the rogues…” – David Steen
David Steen began his photographic career at fifteen, joining Picture Post as an assistant to the celebrated photojournalist Bert Hardy.
Trained in the belief that every picture should tell a story, he went on to work for publications including Queen, Nova and The Sunday Times Magazine.
His assignments took him around the world, photographing film stars, musicians, politicians, criminals and people going about their everyday lives. Curiosity, humour and resourcefulness shaped his approach: on film sets, he sought pictures beyond the scenes already created by the filmmakers; in private homes, an unexpected detail could inspire a portrait.
It was the breadth and quality of this work that captivated Genesis founder Brian Roylance. Recalling their first meeting, Brian wrote:
“I was so taken with the range and quality of his work that after five minutes I said, ‘We’ll publish these, they’ll make an extraordinary book and exhibition and we’ll title both Heroes.’ And then it became clear that they weren’t all heroes at all. One or two most definitely were villains, while others could be either, depending on one’s point of view. That is, in part, the fascination of this wonderful collection.” – Brian Roylance, publisher’s note, 2005
Steen died in 2015, leaving a photographic legacy distinguished by its breadth, humanity and humour. Heroes + Villains preserves fifty years of that work, together with his own accounts of making it.
“I am over the moon to have Genesis as my publisher… it is a meeting of perfectionists.” – David Steen, on the publication of Heroes + Villains, 2005
Fifty Deluxe Archive Copies are being released from our bindery in Milan, fully bound in metallic silver leather. Individually numbered within the original Deluxe allocation, 1–350, each is signed by David Steen and Sir Roger Moore.
The book’s 103 photographs are reproduced in duotone inks with image varnish on heavyweight archival paper, complemented by text pages on yellow cartridge paper. Silver page edging and a replica Beatles transparency mount complete the binding. Each volume is housed in the edition’s distinctive yellow and white transparency box, inspired by a Kodachrome slide case.
Accompanying each copy is an original Rod Stewart portrait print by David Steen, depicting an image not otherwise included in Heroes + Villains. The print is numbered to match the book and professionally framed.
Archival launch materials complete the set: an original lenticular invitation to the Heroes + Villains London exhibition, alternating between portraits of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Biggs; the 2005 subscriber letter from Brian Roylance; and a copy of the publication's six-panel promotional brochure.
A newly issued, publisher-signed letter of provenance documents the set's contents.
• Numbered: Within the original Deluxe allocation, 1–350
• Signed by: David Steen and Sir Roger Moore
• Binding: Full silver leather with inset transparency and silver page edging
• Print: Original Rod Stewart portrait, unsigned and numbered to match the Deluxe book
• Printing: FM stochastic offset lithography on heavyweight Italian coated art paper
• Framing: Conservation mounted in a black hardwood frame with UV-protective Perspex glazing
• Print size: 21.3 × 26.3 cm (approx. 8⅜″ × 10⅜″)
• Framed size: 28 × 33 cm (approx. 11″ × 13″)
• Accompanied by: Original 2005 lenticular gallery invitation and publisher’s subscriber letter; trifold prospectus; new publisher-signed letter of provenance
In order to make investing in one of our limited edition books or prints easier, we offer an interest-free option to spread the cost.
For purchases over £150, the payments are spread over three months. For example, for a purchase of £360, £122.40 would be paid today, followed by two instalments of £118.80.
Genesis will dispatch your item once the last instalment is paid.
50 Collector Archive Copies are presented in the original, laminated silver binding, each carrying David Steen’s signature and individually numbered within the Collector allocation, 351–1,250, of the Heroes + Villains limited edition.
The 103 photographs are reproduced in individually varnished fine-screen duotone on heavyweight 200gsm white matt archival art paper, with the accompanying text printed on bright yellow cartridge paper. A replica Beatles transparency mount features on the front cover, and each book is housed in the edition’s distinctive yellow and white transparency box, inspired by a Kodachrome slide case.
Each Collector Archive Copy is accompanied by an original Rod Stewart portrait print, produced for the Deluxe edition and retained in the Genesis archive. The image does not otherwise appear in the book. Unsigned and unnumbered, the print is presented in a window mount with protective backing, ready for framing.
The accompanying archive materials comprise an original lenticular invitation to the 2005 London exhibition, alternating between portraits of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Biggs; an original subscriber launch letter from Brian Roylance; and a Heroes + Villains six-panel promotional brochure. A newly issued, publisher-signed letter of provenance documents the contents and completion of the set.
• Numbered: Within the original Collector allocation, 351–1,250
• Signed by: David Steen
• Binding: Laminated silver paper with inset transparency and silver page edging
• Print: Original Rod Stewart portrait, unsigned and unnumbered
• Printing: FM stochastic offset lithography on heavyweight Italian coated art paper
• Mounting: Acid-free window mount with protective backing
• Print size: 21.3 × 26.3 cm (approx. 8⅜″ × 10⅜″)
• Mounted size: 26.7 × 31.8 cm (approx. 10½″ × 12½″)
• Accompanied by: Original 2005 lenticular gallery invitation and publisher’s subscriber letter; trifold prospectus; new publisher-signed letter of provenance
Select from the following copies:
We have loved them, and we have loathed them: over 100 of the world’s most recognisable figures in a collection of photographs and personal recollections by David Steen, introduced by Sir Roger Moore.
Since 1974 Genesis has created signed limited edition books on behalf of authors and artists ranging from the Beatles to Buckingham Palace.
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